Paradise On Earth

[jonny]

Excatly how did Smith and Pratt arrive at these revelationary insights, ah, they were delivered by an Angel ? and apart from what they said and wrote, you have anything else to back up these assertions. In fact what do any of the posters in this thread have in the way of anything other than fanciful notions ?

Would any answer that I give satisfy someone who doesn't believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet? Probably not, so I'm not going to even waste my time. I was just pointing out my beliefs on the subject and where they stem from.

 

[FFH]

Excatly how did Smith and Pratt arrive at these revelationary insights, ah, they were delivered by an Angel ? and apart from what they said and wrote, you have anything else to back up these assertions. In fact what do any of the posters in this thread have in the way of anything other than fanciful notions ?

I am an eye witness to a man that was living in the spirit realm (another dimension other than ours). He was a man like you and me. I saw his face. He looked like any other man in his 30's or 40's. He tried to grab me and I jumped back, slightly, thinking he had the power to do so. He quickly disappeared and I never saw him again. It was not my imagination. I saw him as clear as I see another human being today. He was living in another dimension, inside the girl I was dating. He wanted to control me. He tried to grab me. He was pessessing the girl I was dating. I ended that relationship soon after that. This was 17 years ago.

The spirit realm is real. It is all around us. There are those spirits that are trying to help us. They are ususally our deceased relatives. They know what it is like to live in the spirit realm and have more knowledge than we do. They see things as they really are. We have a limited understanding of things. We need the help of those in the spirit realm. There are, also, those that would try to control, harm or hurt us. We need to pray to be protected from such individuals.

 

[may]

There are those spirits that are trying to help us. They are ususally our deceased relatives. They know what it is like to live in the spirit realm and have more knowledge than we do.QUOTE]
The "spirit" that departs from humans at death is the life force that originated with our Creator. (Psalm 36:9; Acts 17:28) This life force does not have any of the characteristics of the creature it animates, just as electricity does not take on the features of the equipment it powers. When someone dies, the spirit (life force) ceases to animate the body cells, much as a light goes out when the electricity is turned off. When the life force stops sustaining the human body, man—the soul—dies.—Psalm 104:29; Ecclesiastes 12:1, 7

In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return. genesis 3;19

(Ecclesiastes 3:20) All are going to one place. They have all come to be from the dust, and they are all returning to the dust

For there is an eventuality as respects the sons of mankind and an eventuality as respects the beast, and they have the same eventuality. As the one dies, so the other dies; and they all have but one spirit, so that there is no superiority of the man over the beast, for everything is vanity. All are going to one place. They have all come to be from the dust, and they are all returning to the dust Ecclesiastes 3;9-11

For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all, neither do they anymore have wages, because the remembrance of them has been forgotten Ecclesiastes 9;5

All that your hand finds to do, do with your very power, for there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in She´ol,( grave) the place to which you are going ...Ecclesiastes 9;10

Our dead loved ones are not conscious of anything. and they cannot affect us in any way but hey there will be a future time when we can see our dead loved ones again in a paradise earth

Jesus Christ said: "The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his [Jesus’] voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment." (John 5:28, 29) All those in Jehovah’s memory will be resurrected and instructed in his ways. For those who act in harmony with the knowledge of God, this will turn out to be a resurrection of life. However, it will turn out to be a resurrection of condemnatory judgment for those who reject God’s teachings and rulership........ yes the ressurection will happen but not quite yet , Jesus has to sort other things out first

 

[A. Leaf]

There are too many people busy creating a HELL on earth for others. We should be busy helping others create a PARADISE for themselves, with the help of God. God is the only one that has our best interest at heart. WE MUST CREATE A PARADISE ON EARTH, with God's help, Individually and as a whole.

Too many people busy creating a HELL on earth. We must fight and resist this mentality. STOP CREATING HELL ON EARTH.

Well Said, Goodman. We can start by endinding poverty on a global scale

 

[may]

The key to Paradise is God’s Kingdom, the one for which Jesus taught his followers to pray: "Let your kingdom come."—Matthew 6:10.


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But how will God’s Kingdom bring about a global paradise? Is it realistic to believe that it will succeed when all other kingdoms, as well as governments of any sort, have failed?​

God’s​

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Kingdom to the Rescue


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The Bible clearly outlines the steps that God’s Kingdom will take to restore Paradise to earth. Looking forward to that time, the Bible book of Revelation tells us what must first take place, saying: "The nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came, and the appointed time . . . to bring to ruin those ruining the earth."—Revelation 11:17, 18

When Jehovah God looks at the way the nations have fouled the air, water, and land by their selfish exploitation of earth’s resources and their bloody and destructive warfare, there is ample reason for him to feel wrathful and to take action to put a stop to their mindless course. That is why he will "bring to ruin those ruining the earth" before it is too late. This will then allow the natural healing power of the earth to reverse the damage done and to bring the earth back to a paradisaic state

And they will certainly build houses and have occupancy; and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat [their] fruitage. 22 They will not build and someone else have occupancy; they will not plant and someone else do the eating. For like the days of a tree will the days of my people be; and the work of their own hands my chosen ones will use to the full. 23 They will not toil for nothing, nor will they bring to birth for disturbance; because they are the offspring made up of the blessed ones of Jehovah, and their descendants with them...ISAIAH 65;21-23 Paradise will only come through Gods kingdom goverment Daniel 2;44 if we work inline with that heavenly kingdom goverment we can be a part of the paradise on earth that the bible promises

But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth,


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And they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace...psalm37;11

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(Matthew 5:5) "Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth

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(Revelation 21:3) With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: "Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them

 

[Ernestine]

Few religions speak of a paradise on earth. That God will prepare the way and restore the earth to His original intention that He set before Adam and Eve. Are there many people who desire an eternal life on this planet? YES, I DESIRE ETERNAL LIFE ON THI PLANET, ABSENT THE WICKEDNESS, SICKNESS, HUNGER, GREED, SIN, DYING, ETC. THAT THIS WORLD HAS OFFERED. THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT GOD PROMISES TO DO AWAY WITH. Can this planet support life for humans past 120 years? Do animals share this earthly eternal life? THIS PLANET HAS SUPPORTED LIFE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, AND THERE IS NOTHING TO SUGGEST THAT IT CAN'T SUPPORT LIFE FOR MILLIONS MORE WHERE MAN IS NOT ALLOWED TO DESTROY IT. What are the schematics for such an existence? READ THE BIBLE--IT WILL PROVIDE YOU ALL F THE SCHEMATICS YOU NEED. WHO BETTER BUT THE MASTER DESIGNER CAN MAKE IT A REALITY? Can an established kingdom match someone’s personal concept of paradise or are we going to have to follow another law with its own brand of restrictions? YES, PARADISE EARTH WILL HAVE LAWS (NOT RESTRICTIONS). NO SOCIETY CAN FUNCTION WHERE EVERY INDIVIDUAL WANTS TO RUN AROUND DOIING WHAT HE/SHE WANTS TO DO UNCONTROLLED. THERE WOUDL BE TOTAL CHAOS. THE BIBLE INDICATES THAT NEW SCROLLS WILL BE OPENED--I HAVE TO BELIEVE THOSE ARE THE LAWS THAT MANKIND WILL FOLLOW. Can humans, if they so desire at least create their own slice of paradise today or do we need the help of a Supreme BEing? ISN'T IT OBVIOUS FROM THE WORLD WE LIVE IN THAT MAN IS INCAPABLE O RULING HIMSELF. HE CANNOT ESTABLISH A PARADISE. THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF WARS IS WHAT THE OUTCOME HAS BEEN OF MAN RULE. LET'S GIVE GOD A CHANCE TO SHOW HE CAN DO IT BETTER.
___________________________

 

[cardero]

What I think is very difficult to understand is the actual concept and practicality of this paradise. Maybe it is from living and existing in a world where we are accustomed to things like wickedness, sickness, hunger, greed, sin and dying. I am sure Adam and Eve had to overcome the opposite perspective in that they received paradise (understandably for a short period of time) but had a hard time realizing a world that we now live in. In many areas of this plan to provide an earthly paradise there are going to have to be great changes in Natural Law in order for this plan on earth to work. Is God going to prefer to make these changes? How would these changes balance with Universal Law? One of the reasons that I posted this thread was because I had questions that the Bible could not answer about this earthly paradise and I was hoping that someone (anyone) could provide some insight.




1. Are we going to be allowed to eat all the “fruit” this time?

2. Do we grow old or stay at one age? Who decides this age? If everyone is going to stay young, can we still conceive children and can the parents decide at what age they should stay at?

3. What is the life expectancy of animals, will they too live forever? What if I feel like chicken that night? Are we going to be carnivorous? What about plants? What exactly are we having for dinner? Do we still need to eat living entities to obtain nutrients for these new bodies?

4. One member of a religion who expressed this belief explained that there was a lot of work to do, isn’t work contrary to most people’s ideas of paradise? Is the rest of my eternal earthly life going to be assured of constant hard work or does God not mind picking up after me?

5. I desire a large family and an abundance of time to spend with these individuals. Are you sure that my other wives won’t mind me marrying just one more woman?

6. What are we going to do for currency? How will my labors be reimbursed?

7. Will there still be sports? Can we still root for our popular teams? Are players going to get paid for their talents?

8. After 1000 years of peace, God plans on another Judgment Day. If everyone is happy with paradise, why tempt the fates? What is going to happen to make someone unhappy about being part of this earthly paradise?

9. Are there going to be rules? I do not know if I can encourage a paradise that has rules. What exactly will we be able to get away with? Since we will live eternally, is acts of attempting murder permissible? Will falling objects that strike us have any consequences to our health?

10. Are we still going to be able to create? If so, can we create anything or is censorship going to exist in this new earth?

 

[may]

What I think is very difficult to understand is the actual concept and practicality of this paradise. Maybe it is from living and existing in a world where we are accustomed to things like wickedness, sickness, hunger, greed, sin and dying. I am sure Adam and Eve had to overcome the opposite perspective in that they received paradise (understandably for a short period of time) but had a hard time realizing a world that we now live in. In many areas of this plan to provide an earthly paradise there are going to have to be great changes in Natural Law in order for this plan on earth to work. Is God going to prefer to make these changes? How would these changes balance with Universal Law? One of the reasons that I posted this thread was because I had questions that the Bible could not answer about this earthly paradise and I was hoping that someone (anyone) could provide some insight.




1. Are we going to be allowed to eat all the “fruit” this time?

2. Do we grow old or stay at one age? Who decides this age? If everyone is going to stay young, can we still conceive children and can the parents decide at what age they should stay at?

3. What is the life expectancy of animals, will they too live forever? What if I feel like chicken that night? Are we going to be carnivorous? What about plants? What exactly are we having for dinner? Do we still need to eat living entities to obtain nutrients for these new bodies?

4. One member of a religion who expressed this belief explained that there was a lot of work to do, isn’t work contrary to most people’s ideas of paradise? Is the rest of my eternal earthly life going to be assured of constant hard work or does God not mind picking up after me?

5. I desire a large family and an abundance of time to spend with these individuals. Are you sure that my other wives won’t mind me marrying just one more woman?

6. What are we going to do for currency? How will my labors be reimbursed?

7. Will there still be sports? Can we still root for our popular teams? Are players going to get paid for their talents?

8. After 1000 years of peace, God plans on another Judgment Day. If everyone is happy with paradise, why tempt the fates? What is going to happen to make someone unhappy about being part of this earthly paradise?

9. Are there going to be rules? I do not know if I can encourage a paradise that has rules. What exactly will we be able to get away with? Since we will live eternally, is acts of attempting murder permissible? Will falling objects that strike us have any consequences to our health?



10. Are we still going to be able to create? If so, can we create anything or is censorship going to exist in this new earth?

You are opening your hand and satisfying the desire of every living thing psalm 145;16 for me i like to concentrate on getting there, then i can hopefully find out

 

[facetiousme]

God gave us a paradise earth once before. With only 2 humans. Those two managed to mess it up. If he were to restore a paradise earth, it would last all of one micro-second with the imperfect humans that will be here, regardless of how "holy", meek or happy they are. There is NO way possible that a "paradise earth" can be sustained. You only need to reference your Bible to know that. It was created with all intents and purposes of being a paradise earth in the beginning. I'll take my chances in heaven,tyvm.

 

[may]

God gave us a paradise earth once before. With only 2 humans. Those two managed to mess it up. If he were to restore a paradise earth, it would last all of one micro-second with the imperfect humans that will be here, regardless of how "holy", meek or happy they are. There is NO way possible that a "paradise earth" can be sustained. You only need to reference your Bible to know that. It was created with all intents and purposes of being a paradise earth in the beginning. I'll take my chances in heaven,tyvm.

But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell 2 peter 3;13

"For just as the new heavens and the new earth that I am making are standing before me," is the utterance of Jehovah, "so the offspring of YOU people and the name of YOU people will keep standing isaiah 66;22..... make no mistake about it ,it will come true

Ps. 37:34: "Hope in Jehovah and keep his way, and he will exalt you to take possession of the earth. When the wicked ones are cut off, you will see it.................. yes those who keep to the way will take possession of the earth ,its amazing what God can accomplish when people keep to his way .Gods purpose for this earth has not changed ,it will be accomplished just because humans have not kept to the way does not mean that Gods plan to have the whole earth a paradise has changed ,no it will be accomplished

For [the] vision is yet for the appointed time, and it keeps panting on to the end, and it will not tell a lie. Even if it should delay, keep in expectation of it; for it will without fail come true. It will not be late....Habakkuk 2;3. he will get rid of the wicked in his own time

Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance 2; peter 3;9 ...........yes he always blesses those who repent

The righteous themselves will possess the earth,


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And they will reside forever upon it ,,,PSALM 37;29

 

[cardero]

Matthew 24:14- And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.

With over 10.000 babies born in the U.S. everyday this seems to be a continuous ineffectual prospect.

Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance 2; peter 3;9 ...........yes he always blesses those who repent.

With over 2.000,000,000 entities dying sometimes violent deaths everyday, what does this say about Jehovah’s patience (and memory)? How about suffering? Over 2000 years humans have suffered almost as much as Jesus did before execution. What does this say about Jehovah’s love and consideration towards all living things? What exactly is Jehovah waiting for?

 

[Solon]

Where is this Paradise, and where is this Jehovah, promises, promises, and no delivery...makes you wonder if old Jehovah is nothing more or less than a fantasy of man's wishful thinking ?

Solon

 

[michel]

I believe that paradise (aka the Spirit World) is currently on the earth in another dimension (as you stated) and that at the resurrection the earth will "be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory."

Here is some information from the LDS basics section on About.com:

[font=verdana, geneva, helvetica]Where is the Spirit World?
Brigham Young answered this question simply when he said: "Where is the spirit world? It is right here." [/font]

[font=verdana, geneva, helvetica]Prophets have told us that the spirit world is not far from us and if we could rend the veil we would see the spirits of righteous people who have gone on before us. They know our thoughts, feelings and emotions. Speaking of these spirits, President Joseph F. Smith said: "They are as deeply interested in our welfare today, if not with greater capacity, with far more interest behind the veil, than they were in the flesh."
[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, helvetica]http://lds.about.com/library/weekly/previousyears/aa011201a.htm
[/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica]
Joseph Smith said, "[/font]"The spirits of the just are exalted to a greater and more glorious work; hence they are blessed in their departure to the world of spirits. Enveloped in flaming fire, they are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings, and motions, and are often pained therewith"

Parley P. Pratt (not a prophet, but a well-known early leader of the LDS church) wrote that the spirit world "is here on the very planet where we were born." Continuing, he explained: "The earth and all other planets of a like sphere, have their inward or spiritual spheres, as well as their outward, or temporal. The one is peopled by temporal tabernacles, and the other by spirits. A veil is drawn between the one sphere and the other, whereby all the objects in the spiritual sphere are rendered invisible to those in the temporal."

Suits my way of thinking to a tee; thanks Jonny. maybe I'm not so mad as I thought!:biglaugh:

What I think is very difficult to understand is the actual concept and practicality of this paradise. Maybe it is from living and existing in a world where we are accustomed to things like wickedness, sickness, hunger, greed, sin and dying. I am sure Adam and Eve had to overcome the opposite perspective in that they received paradise (understandably for a short period of time) but had a hard time realizing a world that we now live in. In many areas of this plan to provide an earthly paradise there are going to have to be great changes in Natural Law in order for this plan on earth to work. Is God going to prefer to make these changes? How would these changes balance with Universal Law? One of the reasons that I posted this thread was because I had questions that the Bible could not answer about this earthly paradise and I was hoping that someone (anyone) could provide some insight.

Well, like a lamb to the slaughter..............

1. Are we going to be allowed to eat all the “fruit” this time?

You won't need sustenance; you will be watered and fed to your satisfaction without ever feeling the need, nor thinking the though.

2. Do we grow old or stay at one age? Who decides this age? If everyone is going to stay young, can we still conceive children and can the parents decide at what age they should stay at?

To my mind you can be whatever age you choose, at any moment. Paradise will be timeless. My father showed himself to me once as a young man, and my Mother as a young woman...I told her youth became her so much more than her poor crippled body of old age; now, when I see her, she is in between the two...........

I have a daughter in heaven. If she was alive, had she been born into this world, instead of being miscarried, she would be about 24 years old; she always appears to me as a beautifull child of about 4 years old..............

3. What is the life expectancy of animals, will they too live forever? What if I feel like chicken that night? Are we going to be carnivorous? What about plants? What exactly are we having for dinner? Do we still need to eat living entities to obtain nutrients for these new bodies?

Get away from your Earthly concepts! Nothing will need to be fed, because although we will all have corporeal bodies, they will need no nourishment. You are thinking 'eartbound'

4. One member of a religion who expressed this belief explained that there was a lot of work to do, isn’t work contrary to most people’s ideas of paradise? Is the rest of my eternal earthly life going to be assured of constant hard work or does God not mind picking up after me?

I think the only work to be done will be to welcome newcomers, making them understand that they have died (whci might even entail having a mock hospital, to save them the shock of the realization that they are dead; that message can be given to them slowly....

5. I desire a large family and an abundance of time to spend with these individuals. Are you sure that my other wives won’t mind me marrying just one more woman?

My Father is with both his ex-wife, and my mother, but he clings more to my mother, because she was his wife the longest, and with whom he was happiest. His first wife has no ill feelings; my Grandfather - he was married twice ; I always see him with both his wives, they are a wonderfully happy trio. There's no jealousy in heaven.

6. What are we going to do for currency? How will my labors be reimbursed?

What the heck do you money for ? - you can have anything you like, by imagining it in your hand................

7. Will there still be sports? Can we still root for our popular teams? Are players going to get paid for their talents?

Sure, if you want the teams, they will be there, but, again, there is no need for the pay; you will 'conjure' the players in your own mind..........You might overdose on it, and get fed up with them though.Don't have too much of a good thing!

8. After 1000 years of peace, God plans on another Judgment Day. If everyone is happy with paradise, why tempt the fates? What is going to happen to make someone unhappy about being part of this earthly paradise?

I haven't a clue; that is something I know nothing about it...........

9. Are there going to be rules? I do not know if I can encourage a paradise that has rules. What exactly will we be able to get away with? Since we will live eternally, is acts of attempting murder permissible? Will falling objects that strike us have any consequences to our health?

There won't be rules, because you will want to be the best that you can.....no police, no punishment.falling objects won't hurt you at all, because they will just pass through your body.

10. Are we still going to be able to create? If so, can we create anything or is censorship going to exist in this new earth?

No need for creation; only imagination. The parallel dimension will be as Earth is, save it will be free of all that is man-made.

 

[may]

Where is this Paradise, and where is this Jehovah, promises, promises, and no delivery...makes you wonder if old Jehovah is nothing more or less than a fantasy of man's wishful thinking ?

Solon

For YOU know this first, that in the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires 4 and saying: "Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep [in death], all things are continuing exactly as from creation’s beginning 2 peter 3;3-4................. Jehovah and Jesus have got it all in hand and it will come true.

For YOU yourselves know quite well that Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night.......... 1 thessalonians 5;2

"Now, look! I am going today in the way of all the earth, and YOU well know with all YOUR hearts and with all YOUR souls that not one word out of all the good words that Jehovah YOUR God has spoken to YOU has failed. They have all come true for YOU. Not one word of them has failed.............joshua 23;14...........Jehovah never tells lies

(Numbers 23:19) God is not a man that he should tell lies, Neither a son of mankind that he should feel regret. Has he himself said it and will he not do it, And has he spoken and will he not carry it out